Rendez-vous in the Moonlight
by Quicksilver
Summary: A Sidestory to "To Dance By Moonlight", How exactly did Usagi end up going to Sunnydale in the firsrt place?


Quicksilver's Quill Offers  
Rendez-vous in the Moonlight  
A Sidestory to "To Dance By Moonlight"  
mbsilvana@yahoo.com  
standard disclaimers  
Originally this was a part of the main story arc, but... well, after sending it to the now defunct FFML (is there any word on that, anyway?) it was shredded as disrupting the flow of the story.... SO.... we'll make it a sidestory. And use it to show I haven't abandoned the project. Remember, I have no spell check (notepad sucks, but it's what I got), so be gentle there. Otherwise, I welcome FB! FB! FFFFFFEEEED THE AUTHOR! =^,^=  
  
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When Tsukino Usagi heard that her Aunt Akiko had invited her to stay for a year in America, she had been enthusiastic, to put it mildly. She had almost hit the ceiling with excitement.  
  
Then reality hit. Even though it had been a year since she had redeemed Galaxia, she didn't feel like it was safe to leave Japan.  
  
The rest of the Senshi, though, put their feet down and practically packed her off. It was the chance of a lifetime, Ami had argued, for how many people got to study abroad? Makoto had indicated all the great food she'd be able to try, and Minako had pointed out that Usagi wouldn't have to wear the silly school uniforms, while Rei had argued that the Senshi were perfectly able to protect Tokyo without her- in fact, they might be better off without her tripping over her feet! Michiru and Haruka had promised to be available, and Setsuna had smiled in her usual enigmatic fashion, suggesting that it might be a good idea for her to go.  
  
All their arguments, while persuasive, almost hadn't been enough to ensure that she would agree. It was silly, but she hadn't wanted to leave her boyfriend. In a way, it was understandable. She had been forced apart from him almost too many times to count, and each time it had felt as though her other half was missing.  
  
Mamoru,. though, took the decision right out of her hands. He had never gone to Harvard after coming back from the dead, declaring that he'd rather be near his princess. Now, though, he had a chance to see America with his Usako by his side, and he wasn't about to miss it. He'd applied for admittance to a college near her aunt's house, and with his stellar grades, had been easily accepted.  
  
Usagi had packed quickly after hearing Mamoru's decision, aware that she'd be entering half way through her second year (or as a Junior, as the Americans would say) and wanted to get going. Mamoru had forced her to wait until his spring semester began. A sophomore now, he refused to enter UC Sunnydale on unequal footing.  
  
She'd spent the time cramming English, but as anyone who knew her could attest, there had been little use in that. The night before she had been due to leave, she had been on the verge of tears. Surprisingly, Luna had a solution for her.  
  
Usagi sat by her window, staring up at the moon, which was her guardian. She wondered if it would look differently in America. Her face was sad as she thought of leaving her friends, and she was terrified that she wouldn't be able to understand anything anyone said to her.  
  
Luna leapt up ontop Usagi's bed, looking up at her charge. "What's wrong, Usagi-chan?" she asked.  
  
Usagi turned melancholy blue eyes on the Mooncat. "I'm not sure I want to go anymore! I'm going to miss everyone- even Rei-chan! I won't be able to talk to anyone, and I'll be alone!" she said, starting to wail in the fashion she had used in her first year as Sailor Moon.  
  
Luna put her paws on Usagi's knees and looked at the girl earnestly. "Usagi-chan, the battles are done for now. You must start to learn other thing now- after all, someday you will be Queen. If you get really lonely, the Seishi can always teleport to visit you, and Mamoru is going to be there."  
  
Usagi wiped some of the tears from her eyes. "I guess."  
  
Luna smiled in her cat-like fashion. "I have a going away present for you." Usagi clapped her hands eagerly, always ready for presents. Luna did a backflip and a pair of earrings landed on the comforter.  
  
"They look just like the ones I wear as Eternal Sailor Moon!" Usagi exclaimed in surprise. She put them on quickly, posing in front of the mirror. It was strange to see herself wearing the earrings as plain old Usagi.  
  
"Indeed. I found them yesterday- they have a special ability that you might find useful," Luna teased.  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yes, really. They'll enable you to speak and understand any language. It'll be useful where you're going."  
  
Usagi blinked a few times, then it sunk in. "Really?!" she asked eagerly.  
  
"I've been speaking English since you put them in," Luna informed her.  
  
Usagi grabbed the black cat and hugged her, remembering not to squeeze too hard. "Thank you!"  
  
Luna purred lightly. "Every now and then concentrate on saying something in Japanese so people don't get too suspious. I'm going to miss you!"  
  
"I'll miss you, too, neko no baka! I wish you could come with me."  
  
"Ami will take good care of me. You know there's no way your Aunt Akiko will let you keep me over there," Luna said. "But I'll be worried. Just remember that you're only seventeen."  
  
"What do you mean?" Usagi asked innocently.  
  
"Mamoru's twenty-one. Without a chaperone...." Luna trailed off suggestively.  
  
Usagi blushed a brilliant shade of red.  
  
Usagi and Mamoru's flight left early in the morning, and Mamoru, like the gentleman he was, let her have the window seat. He had rather unpleasant memories of his last flight, so held her hand the entire way, not sure if it was for sake or his.  
  
After the plane landed, and they had cleared customs, Mamoru had escorted his girlfriend to her Aunt'd house. Kissing her chastely on the cheek, he waved a farewell, promised to call her the next day at four thirty, and headed out to an apartment that the school had arrange for him.  
  
Aunt Akiko had welcomed Usagi warmly, setting her up in her own room. Akiko didn't have any children of her own, so was determined to spoil her niece rotten. The first day had been a whirlwind of activity- shopping, eating, and gossipping about family. Finally they stopped, Usagi being exhausted from the long day. Usagi went up to her new room and collapsed onto the unfamiliar bed.  
  
The next morning came far too early for her, which was nothing new. Akiko, though, was as insistent as Ikoku when it came to rousing the young blonde. Soon the two were at Sunnydale High, enrolling Usagi. To their surprise, Usagi was told to finish the year up as a junior, then enter as a senior in the fall. Usagi couldn't believe it- she'd end up with two senior years, and get to finish with her friends. Thrilled was a mild was of describing her reaction.  
  
The small blonde was bouncing as she enter the first classroom, which happened to be mathematics. She glanced around at the strange faces that were looking at her with curiosity, trying to push down the feeling of nervousness. What it they didn't like her? she wondered uneasily. It was be a very long year if she had no friends.  
  
The teacher introduced her to the class, mispronouncing her name. She gently corrected him and added her desire to be friends to the class, watching for a reaction. Most of them seemed interested in her, and she felt her spirits lift. Things would be ok, she assured herself.  
  
One of the boys in the class spoke out, something that never would have been acceptable back at home, but the teacher here allowed. He had a slightly scruffy appearence, but the laid back look in his eyes reassured her that he was just a typical American. "What're you doing over here?" he asked.  
  
"I'm staying with family," Usagi answered, then smiled. "I'm looking forward to some peace and quiet- Tokyo is a very busy area." She thought of all the daimons and youmas and phages she had left behind, and was amused by how ironic her statement was.  
  
Her good mood wavered slightly as she noticed a blonde who wasn't much larger then she was staring at her grimly. Ignoring her, Usagi slid into her seat and started to listen to the lecture.  
  
For the first time in her school career, Usagi actually felt intelligent. The material was all familiar to her, and it was amazing that she actually understood everything Parnell-sensei was saying. With a sigh, she rested her head on her desk, and before she knew it, was out like a light.  
  
The rest of the day was incredibly boring. Very few people actually approached her, but rather reguarded her like a specimen of something they'd never seen before, watching her out of the corner of their eyes. It was an uncomfortable feeling, but she felt that it would probably go away once they got used to her presence.  
  
All of her classes seemed managable, though she would have to do some extra work in American History and English. When the last bell rung for the day, she hurried over to the library to get the books the instructors had told her to retrieve. She pushed into the swinging doors at her usual full-pelt pace, skidding to a stop.  
  
The blonde who had watched her so warily was sitting on top of the librarian's counter, talking to the boy who had spoken to her in math. Usagi smiled at them, and stated her desire to find the librarian so she coould get some textbooks after correcting them on her name. It seemed that everyone was determined to call her by her last name, which she found rather odd. The boy left to get Giles, as he had called the librarian, leaving her alone with the other girl.  
  
Usagi didn't like how to deal with the girls' grim appraisel, so decided to treat the girl like a hostile person- in other words, she turned on her ditzy charm, forcing an introduction out of the girl, who was named Buffy. Then with a smile she started to ramble on about her favorite topic- Mamoru. "He's so handsome!" she told, tyring to indicate his height with her hand, which didn't work so well because of how short she was. "We're going to get married someday," she sighed dreamily. "I'm so lucky that he loves me," she said.  
  
The American girl just listened to her prattle on, not really paying attention, but Usagi, always perceptive to the emotions of others, noticed a deep sadness in her eyes. Finally the librarian came and gave her her books, and she was pleased to learn that she wasn't the only foreigner around. The books were heavy, and she was distresed to learn how much time she had taken to get them- she had twenty minutes to get back to her aunt's house to receive Mamoru's phone call. With a hurried farewell, she dashed out, starting to finally feel like things were normal. Life just didn't seem right if she wasn't late for some reason.  
  
Jogging home, she felt a slight stitch in her side. She was getting out of shape. Since Galaxia had been redeemed, there had been no other threats, and she hadn't had the need to battle the forces of darkness. Which was good for her safety, but bad for her exercise program.  
  
The phone was just ringing as she dashed into the house. Kicking off her shoes by the doorway, she shoved her feet into a pair of slippers and grabbed it. "Moshi moshi?" she asked, remembering to use a little bit of her native language. That Xander had made her nervous by pointing out her seeming fluency the first day.  
  
"Usako?" Mamoru asked, and she squealed in delight.  
  
"Mamo-chan!" she exclaimed, dragging the portable phone up to her room, remembering to grab a bowl of chips on her way. "How was your day?" she asked.  
  
She could hear the tiredness in his voice. "Long. I'm going to be doing a lot of extra make-up work.... I'm fluent in English thanks to Luna's gift, but I'll have to do some catch-up work in history and literature. And I'm going to have a hard time writing, too- the earrings don't help with that."  
  
Mamoru laughed. "Well, you did a lot of studying, and that always tires you out."  
  
She giggled. "You're right!"   
  
"Course I am. With your studies, will you have time to meet me tonight?"  
  
"Yes! Where?"  
  
He paused, and she could almost hear him reviewing what he knew of the town. "The only place that stands out in my mind is the cemetery. Funny how a small town can have such a big one," he mused.  
  
She laughed again. "Why not? You'll protect me, won't you?"  
  
"I'll always protect you," he vowed.  
  
"I'll meet you there at eight."  
  
They exchanged farewells and hung up. Usagi spent the next few hours eating, doing her howmework, and chatting with Aunt Akiko. Finally the clock hit seven and she couldn't wait any longer. Mamoru tended to be early, anyway.  
  
She grabbed a fluffy yellow sweater and slid it around her shoulders. The thing about being so small was that she simply couldn't retain her body heat. She was always cold.  
  
The graveyard was spooky at night. Wrapping her arms around herself, she delighted in the tingle of fear that worked through her. Sometimes she almost missed the days of being a Senshi; life had become less exciting, and though she would never admit it to anyone, she had grown accustomed to danger. Having it missing made life almost... boring.  
  
"Whaddya doing here, sweet thing?" a male voice asked from behind her.  
  
She yelped and jumped slightly. The man had managed to sneak up on her completely. "I'm waiting for my boyfriend," she answered, relievd that her voice wasn't shaking. Mentally she cursed herself for a fool. It was one thing to hope for something interesting to happen; it was another to actually get it.  
  
The man who approached her was handsome in a dark way; dark spikey hair, dark eyes, and a crooked grin. Still, that meant nothing. Almost all of her enemies had been attractive, and she'd learned not to judge on appearences. She trusted her instincts more, and her instioncts were telling her that he was bad news.  
  
"Looks like he stood you up, babe. Can I help you home? There's all sorts of nasty things out there that would love to get their hands on a pretty girl like you."  
  
She found herself inching away. "No.... my boyfriend's due any second."  
  
"Really? Then I guess I'll have to make this quick," he said. He lunged forward and grabbed her around the neck. With a smile his feature morphed in her nightmares.  
  
The sound of footsteps caused him to turn around. "Hello, lover. Pretty, isn't she?"   
  
Usagi blinked as another girl -the girl she had met earlier- entered the clearing.  
  
Buffy was wearing all black and blended into the shadows almost perfectly, save for her pale face and honey-gold hair. The tight pleather clung to her legs and her black turtle neck was spotless. Still, Usagi had the sense that these dark clothes were almost as much of a uniform as any of the senshi fukus. "Buffy-san," she got out. Did this girl know what was going on? Could she help?   
  
"Put her down," Buffy commanded.   
  
END side 


End file.
